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" UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.

THEO. Emaor NEw YORK, N. Y;

MACHINE FOB. CLEANING BURS FROM WOOL AND SEEDS FROM COTTON, 85C.

Specciation of Letters Patent No. 3,269, dated September 14, 1843.

T all 'whom z'tmag/ concern.'

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE ELY, of the city of `New York, in the State of New York,

` have invented a new-and useful Machine for Removing Burs from Tool and Seeds from Cotton; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the `annexed drawings, making a part of this specificati'on, in which s.

Figure I is `a perspective view of the machine, and Figs. II, III, IV andV, views of detached parts of i y The several parts of vthe machine rest upon, or are attached to,.a strong ,frame of timber (A A), generally `abouti?) ft. long, 2 ft. wide, 4 ft. high, or in thisproportion. At oneend of the frame is an endless cloth (B), passing around rollers for feeding the wool or cotton to the machine. Above `the `endless cloth is `placed a feeding roller (C) whichtakes the flwool, or cotton, fro-m1 the cloth and passes it to themain cylinder (D), hereafter uto `be described; This roller is made by inserting inthe surface of a` wooden roller, and in a line with its axis, a

. being so arranged that, during a part of the revolution of the cylinder, they project beyond the periphery far enough (say ,1, inch or thereabout) to take the fiber from the feeding roller, while at another part `of the revolution, they are drawn in so as tobe even with the face ofthe cylinder. The construction of the combs, and the arrangement by which they are drawn in and out of the cylinder, is as follows: (See'Fig. II). A number of thin slips of metal (e), about @i of an inch wide and l inches long, and having a hook at one end, are placed upon a rod (e) at short distances apart, with collars (6) between them; the rod is fastened at each end to a plate of metal (F), which slides in grooves (f) upon the ends of the cylinder D, and upon the outer face of this plate is attached a friction roller (f), which travels in an eccentric groove (g), cut in the face of a` circular plate (Gr), fastened im` movably to the frame (A) of the machine. The shaft (rZ)`of the cylinder D, passes through the centers of the plates Gr,contain ing the eccentric grooves, and the combs E placed so closely together that the burs cannot get between them, and the cavity in the cylinder is left uncovered in the spaces between the teeth. When the fiber iscoarse, the teeth are placed farther apart, and the cavity is covered in the spaces between them.

4Both of these methods are shown.

An` apparatus for removing the burs, or

seeds, is placed beneath the main cylinder,

and opposite that part where the combs are drawn in so as to become flush with the periphery. It consists of `two thinmetallic plates (H, I) lyingone against the other, placed lengthwise of the cylinder, to the surface of which they conform by" having a slight degree of concavity. The upper edges of the plates have V shaped notches in them, leaving points (7L i) resembling saw teeth, the ends of which are turned outward to prevent the fibers of the wool, or cotton, from catching over them. In the drawings the teeth `of one of the `plates are connected by a band (i) to stiften them. The inner plate, H, is fixed permanently to the frame of the machine, and lies close to the cylinder although no-t in actual contact with it, so that the burs, or seeds, in passing around are detached by getting between the teeth (L) of the plate; the sides of the teeth are beveled to a thin edge, for the purpose of more easily separating the burs, or seeds. The outer plate I is movable, and slides back and forth along the fixed plate H, by which means its teeth are made to free the teeth of the fixed plate from any burs that may stick to them. The requisite motion may be given to it by causing apin (2"), attached to the end of the plate, to work in an eccentric groove (W) in the pulley M. )When the machine is used for ginning cotton the movable plate I is not used.

Above the apparatus just described, is placed a concave plate (J), to keep the wool, or cotton, against the face of the cylinder D g this plate is vprovided with openings (j) through which the loose burs, or seeds, may

fall, without-being carried to the toothed plate H. Directly beneath the main cylinder, is a small roller (K), for assisting the combs to draw away the liber from the seeds, or burs. When the latter have been caught between the teeth of the plate H, the journals of this roller turn in movable boxes, resting upon spiral springs, the object of this being to let the roller yield as the cotton or wool passes between it and the cylinder D.

A clearing apparatus is placed on the opposite end of the frame from the feeding roller, to take from the combs E the cotton, or wool, after the seeds, or burs, have been removed; this is made by aflixing, toothed blades (Z), or brushes, to several sets of arms (L), radiating from a shaft or axle (Z).

Motion may be communicated from the prime mover, either to the main cylinder D, or the drawing roller K beneath it, and from these again to the several parts of the machine by means of cog gearing, or bands and pulleys.

To recapitulate the several parts of the machine by reference to the drawings: A A frame.; B, endless cloth; Z) b', roller beneath it, and spur wheel upon a second roller through which it derives motion from the wheel 29,' C, feeding roller; c c, toothed blades in feeding roller; D, main cylinder; d, shaft of main cylinder; E, combs, (see Fig. II.) e, comb teeth; e, rod upon which the teeth are placed; c, collars between the teeth; F, plates to which the ends of the rod containing the comb teeth are attached, (see Fig. II) f, slides in which plate F moves; f', friction roller attached to plateF; G, circular plate having in it (see Fig. III) g, an eccentric groove; H, fixed plate of apparatus for separating the seed and burs, (see Figs. IV and V); L, teeth of plate H; L, band connecting the teeth 7L; I, sliding plate of apparatus for separating the seeds or burs, (see Figs. IV and V) z', teeth of plate I; a, pin attached to plate I; i, eccentric groove in the pulley M in which the pin z" works; 2, rest or guide to keep the plate I steady; J, concave plate, for keeping the wool, or cotton, close to the main cylinder, (see Figs. IV and V); j, openings in plate Jv to let the seeds or burs fall through; K, drawing roller, beneath the main cylinder; 7c, movable boxes (indicated by dotted lines); c, spiral springs (indicated by dotted lines); L, clearing apparatus; Z-toothed blades upon clearing apparatus; when the machine is used for cotton brushes are substituted for these blades; Z, axle of clearing apparatus; M, main pulley; this pulley is placed upon the axle of the drawing roller K; the farther end of which has a pinion upon it (not seen in the drawing) working into N, a spur wheel upon the shaft of the main cylinder; O, pulley upon shaft of main cylinder; I), pulley upon feeding roller deriving mot-ion from O; p, wheel upon axle of feeding roller which imparts motion to b before referred to; Q, pulley upon axle of clearing apparatus which derives motion from main pulley VI.

The operation of the machine is as follows: Let us suppose that it is employed in burring wool. The wool being laid upon the endless cloth B, is moved forward until it comes to the feeding roller C, which lifts it from the cloth and places it against the face of the main cylinder D, when it is seized by the combs E and carried around in the direction of the arrow. In passing between the cylinder and concave plate J, all the loose burs fall through the openings rIhe combs meanwhile are gradually drawn into the cavities of the cylinder, so that the remaining burs may be detached from the liber by passing into the openings in the plate H, and up the beveled edges, or inclined planes, of the openings, until they are seized by the sliding plate I. After the combs have passed the roller K beneath the main cylinder, they are by the action of the plate G forced out of the cavities, in order that the wool may be taken from them by the clearing apparatus L.

yThe action of the machine is the same in ginning cotton as in burring wool, except that as the seeds are entirely separated from the fiber by passing up the beveled edges of plate I-I, the sliding plate I is dispensed with.

I claim asmy invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. The combination and arrangement of the severalv parts herein before described (to wit, the endless cloth B, feeding roller C, main cylinder D, having movable combs or teeth E; the apparatus for removing the burs or seeds, consisting of the plates H and I, with their appendages; the drawing roller K, and clearing apparatus L; together with t-he gearing, eccentric plates, and grooves, necessary to give the desired motions to the parts) forming a machine for removing burs from wool, and seeds from cotton; and this I claim, whether the several part-s are placed relatively to each other as shown herein, or in any other manner substant-ially the same, and producing the same results.

2. I claim the movable combs E, whether actuated as herein shown, or in any other way which will give them an alternate motion in and out of the cylinder.

3. I claim the apparatus for removing the burs, or seeds, consisting of the fixed plate H, and the sliding plate I, whether the latter be actuated as herein shown, or by any other means which will give it a like motion.

THEODORE ELY.

Witnesses P. F. STIRLING, JOHN S. WORTH. 

